Nashville immigration protesters at Alexander office
Heidi Hall, hhall@tennessean.com 8:46 p.m. CDT August 2, 2014
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(Photo: Heidi Hall / The Tennessean )


Updated: William Gheen objected to the characterization of his remarks made on the Alex Jones radio show found here. He said he was simply making a point that immigrant children, rewarded with free gifts, will do anything they are asked. He said his remarks have nothing to do with today's rally, and wanted to make clear he is only against illegal immigrants.

Earlier today: A handful of Middle Tennesseans joined a national immigration protest movement this morning, gathering in front of U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander's West End Avenue office.

Backing the event: Americans for Legal Immigration President William Gheen, who recently explained on a radio show that children flooding the Mexican-American border are being imported as slaves by President Obama to destroy American citizens.

One Nashville protester waived a Betsy Ross-era American flag. Another wore a t-shirt with a drawing of the middle finger over the phrase "illegal aliens." A third told the others he was living in a tent despite being a master tradesman because illegal immigrants take all the construction jobs.

They picked Alexander's Nashville office because he joined 13 other Senate Republicans last year to vote for an immigration reform bill that provides a lengthy, expensive pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

"If you provide a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens, it discourages people who want to emigrate the right way," said local organizer Sam Harvey II. "It encourages human trafficking and encourages parents to send their children on a dangerous journey here."

The group stood in front of a large sign for state Rep. Joe Carr, a Lascassas Republican running against Alexander in Thursday's primary election. Gheen was at a similar event in Blountville, Tenn.


http://www.tennessean.com/story/news...fice/13510863/